Category: College Art Gallery and Museum

Edelman Fossil Park & Museum at Rowan University 66 Million Mosasaur Way Sewell, NJ 08080

Edelman Fossil Park & Museum at Rowan University

66 Million Mosasaur Way

Sewell, NJ 08080

(856) 284-3466

https://www.efm.org

Open: Sunday-Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm Closed major holidays-please check their website for changes

Admission: Adults $29.00/Children over Two $24.00/Children under two Free/Digs are extra $25.00 with Museum Admission-$34.00 for Standalone and $20.00 for Members

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g46596-d33042982-r1082522342-Edelman_Fossil_Park_Museum_Of_Rowan_University-Mantua_New_Jersey.html

I had read that a new museum had opened as part of Rowan University in Glasboro on the study of pre-historic creatures, many found in New Jersey and what I found fascination is that it was built right next to one of the research pits.

The front of the Edelman Fossil Park & Museum

The Mission of the Museum:

(from the museum website)

Our mission at the Jean and Ric Edelman Fossil Park & Museum of Rowan University is to be a catalyst for good through the power of understanding the past. We deliver this through first-hand discovery of fossils and an immersive experience in the epic, real story of the dinosaurs. We bring awe and wonder to inspire action for a better world. Using the past, we put the present into perspective and give all people tools to create future actions for good. Whether it’s the pure joy of digging and exploring for exciting possibilities or an awakening of a growing realization about our place in time and how great the gift of life is, we aim to be a remembered, loved, and inspirational agent for good (Museum website).

The lake area outside the museum with the beautiful Fall foliage

This contemporary designed museums sits on a beautiful wooded site on a lake where the design of the building blends so well with the natural surroundings. With the Fall season in full display, the foliage of the surrounding woods blends so beautifully with the building and its grounds.

The side view of the museum at the lake

The museum entrance and hallway are open air and beautifully designed

After I paid my admission, I entered the open air beauty of the lobby with a wonderful little restaurant off to the side with sandwiches, drinks and pastries. To the other side of the lobby was a gift shop with an array of items perfect for both a child and an adult. The the doors to the side lead to the Terrace over looking the research pit.

The terrace just off the main lobby has gorgeous views of the research pits where new fossils are being discovered

The Fossil Pit:

(from the museum website)

Dig into the past at the Edelman Fossil Park & Museum’s Quarry in Mantua, NJ, where you can search for real fossils from 66 million years ago! More than 100,000 fossils have been discovered at this incredible site, including mosasaurs, sea turtles, shark teeth, and more.

Your quarry adventure includes up to 60 minutes of hands-on fossil digging, plus a fossil to take home! Come ready to explore in comfortable clothes and closed-toed shoes – rubber boots are recommended. All guests entering the quarry must have a ticket; children ages 2 and under are free. Guests must be at least 16 years old to dig independently.

I was not able to spend too much time out here as they were preparing for a wedding

The was a small cafe just off the lobby with a really nice menu that was getting ready to close for the afternoon

https://www.efm.org/quarrygrounds

The Beverage and snack area of the museum restaurant

The restaurant is open for both breakfast and lunch and its selection is very nice. It was closing for the day when I arrived and they have a nice assortment of things to eat.

The Gift shop was on the other side of the lobby

The main part of the museum was down the hall and gave me an interesting perspective of how New Jersey was part of Dinosaur Age. What I liked about the museum was it challenges us with the past when we feel we can control the environment. I liked how it questions our own future.

The sign in the Main Gallery before you enter

The entrance to the main exhibition gallery

The main Dinosaur Gallery

The Teeth vs Tonnage exhibit

The Teeth and Tonage display

Dinosaur display lurking

The back of the gallery

The main Dinosaur Gallery

The Eagle Ray sign

The Eagle Ray

Creatures from the deep

Sea turtles

The Ammonoids sign

The Ammonoids display

The Ammonoids display

I thought the dinosaur displays dazzled with their detailed information and their interpretation of these ancient creatures. The life sized models really showed the day to day life and survival of these mammals.

The Sea Rex

The Sea Rex display

The Sea Rex up close

The Giants Flying Reptiles

The flying reptiles display

The Circle of Life exhibition

The Hall of Hope and Distinction:

(from the museum website)

This captivating experience highlights the asteroid impact that ended the dinosaurs 66 million years ago and the current climate crisis threatening a Sixth Extinction, while inspiring visitors to take action against climate change (Museum website).

The history of dinosaurs in New Jersey

The Fifth Extinction display

The room contained pictures of birds and mammals that are now extinct or on their way to being extinct. This is a cautionary tail of what can happen when we do not respect the environment

Critter Cover on the Lower Level:

(from the museum website)

Step into Critter Cove, where the wonders of today connect to the creatures of the past! Come face-to-face with incredible critters, from hands-on sea stars to a powerful monitor lizard. This isn’t just an exhibit, it’s a time-traveling adventure through evolution! Discover living descendants of ocean-dwelling invertebrates, dinosaur-age reptiles, and hardy mammal ancestors that defied extinction. Packed with excitement and discovery, Critter Cove is an unforgettable thrill for explorers of all ages!

The lower level aqua room and interaction room has tanks with small sea creatures we could interact with but I did not attempt to touch them. I loved seeing the small string rays and starfish. It was also interesting to hear from the naturalist about the conditions of our beaches and the ocean surrounding New Jersey.

The touch pool has various fish and aquatic life

This turtle was peaking out at me

After I toured the museum, I toured the grounds around the property and walked around the lake where the museum sits on its edge. The foliage was breathtaking that day.

The lake in the early Fall afternoon

The view of the museum on the side of the lake

The museum even has a family playground with pre-historic creatures to play on. I thought the design was quite clever.

The front of the playground outside the museum

The playground with its dinosaur themed equipment

The playground from a distance

For a university research museum, I thought it offered a lot for the public to see and experience. I did not know that New Jersey had such a rich history of pre-historic life in its past.

The Sam Azeez Museum of Woodbine Heritage 610 Washington Avenue Woodbine, NJ 08270

The Sam Azeez Museum of Woodbine Heritage

610 Washington Avenue

Woodbine, NJ 08270

(629) 626-3831

https://woodbinemuseum.org/

https://visitnj.org/sam-azeez-museum-woodbine-heritage

https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Sam-Azeez-Museum-of-Woodbine-Heritage-of-Stockton-University-100085580916230/

Open: Sunday-Tuesday Closed/Wednesday-Saturday 10:00am-4:00pm/Saturday Closed

My review on TripAdvisor:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g46938-d3915473-Reviews-The_Sam_Azeez_Museum_of_Woodbine_Heritage-Woodbine_Cape_May_County_New_Jersey.html

The front of the Sam Azeez Museum of Woodbine Heritage

The entrance sign that welcomes you

The History of the Sam Azzez Woodbine Museum:

(from the museum’s website):

The Sam Azeez Museum of Woodbine Heritage is an independent non-profit charitable organization preserving the unique history of Woodbine, NJ.

Established in the 1890’s through Baron de Hirsch’s philanthropy, Woodbine began as an agricultural colony for Russian Jewish immigrants seeking freedom denied in their homeland. As poor soil conditions limited farming, Woodbine evolved into Cape May County’s manufacturing center while maintaining founding values of education, religion and inclusion.

The museum occupies the historic Woodbine Brotherhood Synagogue, listed on the Natural Register of Historic Places. The restored sanctuary hosts special services, while the Brotherhood Hall houses exhibitions including the community-contributed Collective Memory Wall.

The historical significance of of the Town of Woodbine

The entrance to the museum

The museum is another interesting look at New Jersey history and the development of the immigrant story of assimilation into American society.

I was given a personal tour by the Assistant Curator and she explained the resettlement of Russian Jewish immigrants by a wealthy patron into this South Jersey community.

The main gallery of the museum

The panels tell the story of how these community came into being and how these people built a community through agricultural and eventually manufacturing and small businesses that supported the community around it. It established a town that was self sustaining and grew to the community center.

The panels show the growth of Woodbine as a community

The residents established their own sports teams, community organizations and civic groups like the councils and fire and police departments.

The records of the many town organizations of Woodbine

Display of one of the first families to settle in Woodbine

Display of the religious faith of the community

One of the most touching displays is of survivors of the concentration camps during the holocaust. These pictures represent these women as children and them today.

The display of the women who survived the camps

The history of the community and the growth of diverse businesses in Woodbine

Creating and building the Synagogue in the community

On the second floor of the building is the old synagogue of the community which is only used during the high holidays. This is used by descendants of the community and family members of theirs.

The inside of the synagogue on the second floor of the building

The front of the temple

The chandelier is original to the temple

The space was being prepared for the Jewish New Year and the crowd of people who would be attending.

The Memorial Wall

The traditions of the religion being practiced in the community

The self-government of the community

Still the younger generation was all American and wanted to assimilate into society with an all American past time of things like baseball.

The Woodbine youth baseball team

The uniform of the old baseball team for youths in the town

The last display is of the famous alumni who once lived in the community. These are the men and women who once lived here and went on after all odds to do great things and make our country better.

The Hall of Fame

The museum I thought had a bit of an identity crisis as I really did not know what the museum was about.

I was pleasantly surprised to find an interesting part of New Jersey history I had never known. It just goes to show you how a museum can educate you with just one visit. The Assistant curator said there will be more to come in the future.

Galleries at Fairleigh Dickinson University-University Hall 1000 River Road Teaneck, NJ 07666

Galleries at Fairleigh Dickinson University-University Hall

1000 River Road

Teaneck, NJ 07666

(201) 692-2801

Open: Sunday Closed/Monday-Friday 10:00am-5:00pm

Admission: Free but donations accepted

My review on TripAdvisor:

University Hall on the Fairleigh Dickinson Campus 1000 River Road

The entrance to the museum

The entrance to the Art Gallery

I recently visited the Galleries at Fairleigh Dickinson University and I walked through the new exhibition of being featured by artists Cordelia Barney and Makenna Savnik who are local artists to New Jersey. This was an interesting gallery with walls lined with whimsical art.

The Galleries Museum is located on the first floor of the University Building next to the art Department.

The works by the artists lined the walls

The history of the Arts Department at Fairleigh Dickinson University:

(from the University website)

In September 2018, Fairleigh Dickinson University inaugurated the School of the Arts, a robust center of learning for students who seek arts training grounded in a real-world framework. Today, the School of the Arts is a thriving and exciting community fostering talented students and faculty who are dedicated to a wide variety of artistic expression.

School of the Arts students participate in an innovative curriculum that combines a strong liberal arts education, hands-on creative work, valuable opportunities for internships, and an integrated new approach to arts entrepreneurship.

Outstanding and nationally recognized artists and authors empower our students to reach their full creative potential through speaking engagements, workshops, art shows, and performances. School of the arts students are connected to a network of professional mentors and colleagues who help jump-start their careers. Our Florham Campus features a beautiful and inspiring landscape where students can collaborate across disciplines and flourish while the Metro Campus is located closely to Manhattan. Graduates will be equipped to thrive in today’s — and tomorrow’s — complex interconnected world.

The works by Cordelia Barnet

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cordelia-barnet-1b70a4222/

The art works by artist Cordelia Barnet were whimsical and fun with bright colors and inviting patterns. These were the works that stood out in her part of the exhibition.

‘The Flags that Represent Us’ by artist Cordelia Barnet

The sign for the art

The work ‘How would Botticelli See Me?’

The sign for the art

Cordelia Barnet also did an interesting collection of works with Cats as a theme. These were the ones that stood out to me.

The work ‘Hold up the Pinnacle’

The sign for the event

The work ‘Sleeping with the Fishes’

The sign for the work

The works on the other side of the Gallery were by artist Makenna Savnik. Her works were interesting in the repeated symbols and characters she created.

The works by artist Makenna Savnik

https://art.kunstmatrix.com/en/artwork/1232822/makenna-savnik/makenna-savnik

These were the works that stood out from her exhibition:

The work ‘Autumn Trees #2’

The sign for the work

The work ‘Lion # 3’

The sign for the work

The work ‘Sad Clown Bear with Yellow Stars’

The sign for the work

Future shows will be a combination of both professional and student shows. It is a very interesting little gallery with unique art.

It will be interesting to see what future shows the college’s art department will do next.

The Latin Cultural Mask Exhibition outside the gallery

The exhibition of masks

The historic Banta House on the campus

The historic marker

The historic marker of the Banta House

The Donald & Barbara Tober Exhibit Room/Conrad N. Hilton Library-The Culinary Institute of America Campus 1946 Campus Drive Hyde Park, NY 12538

The Donald & Barbara Tober Exhibition Room/Conrad N. Hilton Library-The Culinary Institute of America Campus

1946 Campus Drive

Hyde Park, NY 12538

(845) 452-9600

https://library.culinary.edu/ciaexhibits

Open: When the library is open. Please check the website.

Admission: Free

The Donald & Barbara Tober Exhibit Room plaque inside the Conrad N. Hilton Library hallway

The Donald and Barbara Tober Exhibit Room is on the main floor of the Conrad N. Hilton Library. The exhibit room is open to the CIA community and to the public. The exhibition room has ongoing displays of culinary themed exhibits that cover topics involving the culinary world and food service. This is run by both the college and by students. It is not quite a museum but more of a display room of artifacts that are held by the Conrad N. Hilton Library and its archives.

The Hallway exhibition

The Hallway exhibition

The two display cases are in the main entrance of the Conrad N. Hilton Library and hold more of the exhibition. These are displays of industry pamphlets and flyers plus menus and equipment.

The library exhibition of China pieces

The Menu Collection:

The Tober Room Exhibition space

The CIA’s menu collection began in the small library at the New Haven campus and was used as a reference tool by the culinary students. By 1978, then in Hyde Park, the library had amassed a file of over 3,000 menus which were openly available to students and used regularly in their studies. These menus still remain in the collection and are known as the “Original CIA Menu Collection.” They provided the foundation for the growing menu collection that was later added to by many prominent menu collectors and friends of the CIA.

Seth Bradford and Edward S. Dewey Menu Collection

Roland Chenus Menu Collection

Craig Claiborne Menu Collection

Roy Andries de Groot Menu Collection

This collection of nearly 800 menus, acquired by the CIA in 1984, were collected by the culinary writer and critic, Baron Roy Andries de Groot (1910-1983), during the course of editing his column, “A Moveable Feast,” for Esquire Magazine. The menus date primarily from the 1960s and 1970s and are from major U.S. cities (many from New York City), as well as Canada, France, Belgium, Spain, Puerto Rico, Hong Kong, and Thailand. Some menus include supplemental materials, as well as annotations by de Groot or his staff noting the date of visit, names of other guests, the chef’s name, and his evaluations and/or ratings.

Herbert Ernest Menu Collection

In 1987, Herbert Ernest donated to the CIA over 300 menus collected by his father, Semy Ernest. The menus date from 1889-1977 and include menus from restaurants and clubs in New York City, Boston, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and San Francisco; international menus from France and Germany; and several menus from on board the Santa Magdalena ocean liner. This collection is rich in pre-1920 menus.

Greenebaum Menu Collection

The Greenebaum Menu Collection was donated to the CIA by Henry Greenebaum in 1989. Greenebaum’s father, Michael H. Greenebaum, started the collection and it was continued by his two sons, Henry and Richard. It includes menus from 1905-1988, many international and many from railroads and ships. Several menus are signed by the chef or proprietor.

Auguste Guyet Menu Collection

Donated to the CIA in 1989, this personal menu collection from Chef Auguste Guyet includes over 200 menus, mostly from France. The earliest are a Restaurant Julien special event menu and a Waldorf-Astoria wine list for the 27th annual banquet of the Hotel Association of New York City, both from 1906.

Bruce P. Jeffer Menu Collection

Bruce P. Jeffer donated his collection of 2,500 menus to the CIA in 2013. Jeffer, a California lawyer and wine connoisseur, began collecting menus during his travels as a child. The menus date from 1950s-1990s. Much of the collection is international menus from over 70 countries on 6 continents. A selection of these were featured in an exhibit in the Conrad N. Hilton Library in August 2013.

George Lang Menu Collection

George Lang, restaurateur and author, donated his personal collection of over 3,000 menus to the CIA in 1989. Many of these menus are international, including often under-represented countries such as Australia, Cuba, Hong Kong, Hungary and the Philippines. Although most menus date from 1950s-1970s, the earliest two menus are from Hotel Knickerbocker in New York City, 1907.

Vinnie Oakes Menu Collection

In 2000, Vinne Oakes donated his collection of over 200 menus to the CIA. The collection is strong in menus from restaurants in Nevada, as well as ship menus from the 1960s.

John Edward Oxley Menu Collection

Chapman S. Root Menu Collection

The Chapman S. Root Menu Collection of nearly 10,000 menus was donated by The Root Company in 2000. The largest collection recieved so far, it includes menus from almost every state (strongest in California, Florida and Nevada), and several foreign countries. The bulk of the menus date from 1960s-1980s, although the earliest are from 1878. Over 3,000 U.S. Railroad menus are an important highlight of the collection.

Chapman S. Root’s grandfather, Chapman J. Root, designed the classic green, ridged Coca-Cola bottle in 1915. At his grandfather’s death in 1945, Chapman S. Root inherited Associated Coca-Cola Bottling Plants, Inc. He traveled a great deal, mostly by car or train, and amassed an enormous menu collection. Friends, knowing of his interest, also contributed to his collection.

Jacob Rosenthal Menu Collection

Jacob Rosenthal, former president of the Culinary Institute of America, donated nearly 500 menus to the CIA menu collection. The bulk of these menus are from food and wine societies in the 1960s-1970s, including Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs, and the International Food & Wine Society. Also of note are several international menus from the 1930s-1950s.

Smiley Family Menu Collection

The Smiley Family Menu Collection was donated to the CIA in 1982 and 1993, a gift of Mohonk Mountain House. (The Smiley family are the founders and proprieters of the Mohonk Mountain House in upstate New York.) Three generations of Smileys traveled the world, by land and by sea, and collected menus along the way. This collection is rich in pre-1920 menus; menus from historically world-renowned resorts including Laurel-in-the-Pines (Lakewood, N.J.), Haverford Court (Pennsylvania) and Hotel Colonial and Royal Vicotoria Hotel (Nassau, Bahamas); beautifully-illustrated ship menus; and a selection of early menus from Mohonk Mountain House.

Lois Westfall Menu Collection

The display case in the main library showcases the collection of China and Silverware and decorative objects that are in the collection.

The Tober Room exhibition on “Fat” at the Conrad N. Hilton Library on the CIA campus

The exhibition that they were showing when I came up to visit was “Clarifying Butter: A Cultural History of Fat”. There were a lot of recipes, objects and equipment to make butter, understand the use of fats in cooking, recipes, menus and corporate information.

The description of the exhibition:

FAT. The very word, fat, conjures images of unctuous oils, crispy fried foods and flavorsome pools of golden richness (indeed, medieval European foods that were described as “rich” meant both fatty and foods of the privileged). Conversely, the idea of fat can also make people frown with scorn, concerned over blocked arteries or a perceived moral laxity of a diner.

Fat. as an substance found in animals and oil, as a plant based ingredient, appear across time and place and reveal cultural attitudes and historical changes. At a culinary school, we use fats and oils daily and as eaters, they literally become part of us. While ubiquitous they are never without deep meaning. This exhibit explores but some of the aspects of a food group that is simultaneously present and polarizing.

Both the two display cases and the middle display case were set with all sorts of information through the ages of the subject of fat, fried foods and items used to produce and make them.

The Display Cases in the Tober Room

The Display Cases in the Tober Room

The exhibitions here are very detailed and display over a hundred years of culinary arts research. The displays are revolving every quarter. The room is off to the right of the entrance to the library and is open for free to the public. It is a wonderful way to learn the aspects of food than in one of the best culinary libraries in the world.

A close up shot of the display case.

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